Environmental Assessment
Agency History and Mission
The agency found its beginnings when Ohio passed the Children’s Home Law, which allowed counties to provide children with shelter that was a separate entity from the already existing systems. Consequently, Franklin County opened a Children’s Home in 1880, to care for abandoned or orphaned children as public charity (Franklin County Children Services [FCCS], 2014). From that time Into the early 20th century, foster care saw the rise of formalized structure with the implementation of required licensing and supervision (FCCS, 2014), and later, mandated provision of social services in all Ohio counties. In 1951, Franklin Village replaced The Children’s Home, and a property tax levy solely “for the…show more content… The local child welfare board remained unnamed until 1969, when it gained its current name as Franklin County Children Services. By time several federal laws (CAPTA, Adoptions Reform Act, and ICWA) passed in the 70s, FCCS had a 24-hour hotline for individuals to report child abuse or neglect, and further expanded its services outside the realm of children to include older youth (FCCS, 2014). From this time, until present day, child welfare legislation had a significant effect on the structure of the agency. For example, the rise of child adoptions due to ASFA and MEPA provided the goal of FCCS today, which is “to maintain child safely in their own homes whenever possible.” (FCCS, 2014). Today, FCCS practice is family-centered and the job of the worker is to best suit the family’s needs, and assist in strengthening the family structure. The agency currently has three operating offices, the west region (1994), main